A Walk in the Dark
by adventure-snail
Summary: Marceline and Princess Bubblegum take a midnight walk through the Old Forest. Will old feelings return? Bubbline/Sugarless Gum oneshot.


******A/N: Thanks to my editor, Lupinista!**

Princess Bubblegum slowly turned her head before sitting up and re-adjusting her pillow. It was something about that warm summer night that roused her from her usually peaceful slumber. It was the Summer Solstice, to be exact, or so it was called before the war.

Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and flipped her hair over her shoulder. After slipping on a pair of small peppermint striped slippers, she walked to her glass balcony doors and opened them. A playful, misty breeze grazed her cheek as she gazed out at the Cotton Candy Forest on the horizon. A pale moon lay hidden behind dark clouds, which lined the midnight sky.

The Princess walked over to a small flowerpot on the balcony railing and picked a small red rose. A sharp pain came to her finger and, realizing the flower's thorn had pricked it, she dropped the rose. The Princess rubbed the wound softly.

"You shouldn't play with flowers, Bon," Marceline's voice pierced the night air, "you'll always find a thorn." She flashed her fangs in a teasing smile.

"I've found the thorn, thank you," Princess Bubblegum replied coldly. "What do you want?"

"Oh, couldn't sleep... and what's a night of lost sleep to an immortal?" Marceline floated closer, cocking her head and waiting for a reply.

The Princess, however, said nothing. She walked to the right of Marceline and leaned over the railing, looking back at the horizon. Finally, she spoke. "Why'd you come here?"

Marceline was startled by her sudden question. "Oh, am I not welcome in the Candy Kingdom anymore? So sorry to bother, _your great excellence_." She floated in front of Princess Bubblegum's view and doubled over in a bow.

With a sigh and a rolling of eyes, the Bubblegum Princess turned and walked back to her balcony doors.

Marceline rushed to block her. "Not even a chuckle tonight, Bonnie? You used to laugh so much more..." Marceline reached to put a hand on her shoulder.

Princess Bubblegum caught the hand and turned halfway around. "No chuckles. Leave me alone, for once." She threw Marceline's hand back roughly.

"Fine, be that way," Marceline said, flushing angrily. "You were never fun anyways, always complaining that I'd drag you places..."

Princess Bubblegum halted as she was about to go inside. "Excuse me, _I_ never had any fun? Who took you to the science fair that one time, remember?"

"That may be fun for you, but..."

"You told me you thought the subatomic laser was cool, though."

Marceline shifted her gaze. "Yeah... well, fun for sciency stuff and all..."

"But not fun for Marceline?" Princess Bubblegum crossed her arms. "What's your idea of 'real fun'?"

"Remember the walks we would take? Through the kingdoms? And you would always fall behind and we'd have to stop. Then we'd have a snack and walk back."

"Oh, yeah. I remember." The Princess blushed, which her already-pink face hid.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" Marceline asked.

"Sure, I-" Princess Bubblegum began, but was pulled across the balcony and over the railing by Marceline. She had time to scoop up the flower and put it in her hair, this time not pricking her finger.

Now, holding on only to Marceline's outstretched hand, they flew through the warm, humid air. Princess Bubblegum's heart lurched. She gave a short scream, then stopped. She didn't want to wake the Gumball Guardians. They were specially trained to battle intruders, though they generally slept at this hour.

"Marceline, are you sure this is safe?" Princess Bubblegum whispered, hoping her crown would stay in her hair and not fly off, to be lost in the grassy plains below.

"No..." Marceline said. Realizing the horrified look of her passenger, Marceline raised her eyebrows and gave a smile. "I'm only teasing. So, where shall we take a walk?"

"The Old Forest? It would be peaceful at this hour, right?"

"Sounds nice," Marceline agreed. She swooped lower, much to the Princess's discontent, and made for the canopy of trees in the distance.

Landing at the entrance to the forest, both the girls had a fluttering in their stomachs. Realizing she was still holding Marceline's hand, Princess Bubblegum withdrew it quickly. Blushing, she bit her lip. "Do you know any paths of the Old Forest?"

"We'll discover them together, won't we?"

And so they ventured in, side by side. Marceline stood slightly further ahead, leading the way through the various foliage and brush. Princess Bubblegum had no idea where they were going, for all the trees in the forest looked so similar to one another.

After walking in every direction, save up and down, Princess Bubblegum found that her legs were aching. She seemed also fairly short of breath. "Mar... Marceline... could we sit for a moment?"

"Sure, I suppose." After a little more wandering, the two came upon a small clearing. In the middle, water sat collected in a small pond.

Marceline and Princess Bubblegum stretched out on the thick, green grass. The Princess kicked off her slippers and wiggled her toes. Suddenly becoming aware that she was still in her pajamas, she looked at Marceline to see if the vampire had noticed, if she should be embarrassed. Marceline didn't seem to care, though. She was pulling a few cookie wafers out of her pocket.

"So, I suppose this is our 'snack time'?" she asked, handing one to Princess Bubblegum. "Things really never do change..." She bit a large section out of the wafer and chewed thoughtfully.

"Not everything is different," the Princess said slowly. "And not everything is the same. I'm not sure things will ever be the same."

At that moment, clouds drifted away. The moon shined down upon the clearing and Marceline could see clearer. She gazed from Princess Bubblegum's sparkling crown jewel to her sparkling eyes.

Princess Bubblegum stopped chewing and looked over and blushed crimson. "What are you looking at?" she asked, though she knew the answer.

Marceline, having finished her snack, got up and walked to the Princess. "You're right, Bon, things are different." She plucked the flower from her hair and sucked the color from it. "But some things are the same." She leaned in to stroke Princess Bubblegum's face.

Princess Bubblegum stood immediately, and looked at Marceline with a look of disgust. Marceline drew her hand back, a hurt look on her face. The Princess turned away bitterly.

Marceline sighed and began a song:

"_Your name, Princess, is Bonnibel,_

_I've always called you Bonnie._

_It's something I've always done._

_My name's Marceline, of course,_

_You've never called me Marcie._

_You never liked me that way, Bon._

"_It's not protocol,_

_Would a Royal understand?_

_Love is mysterious in its ways._

_Was there a chance you liked me_

_I'd say yes to that_

_But I'd say I blew it in long ago days..._"

Princess Bubblegum stood up and sang too, much to Marceline's surprise:

"_A 'Royal' understands,_

_Yes, certainly, I do,_

_You like me, it's a fact._

_Though we've gone out a few_

_You've always wondered if_

_I really like you back._

"_What a situation_

_For a Princess to be in,_

_For the simpler times I miss._

_No matter how I've acted,_

_What I've said years before and now,_

_I do like, you, please know this."_

Marceline gazed in awe at the Princess. "Bon, I've... never heard you sing before."

Tears lined the lids of Princess Bubblegum's eyes. "As a ruler, you have to listen first to others' feelings, not your own."

Leaning in, she planted a small kiss on Marceline's cheek. "I think it's time I listened to my own feelings for a change."


End file.
